Aaron joined Duke Arts in April 2023, leading the team responsible for programming and producing a wide array of arts experiences with artists from across the globe in venues across Duke and Durham. For the past decade, Aaron has been at the forefront of integrating the arts into academic institutions and presenting innovative creative experiences.
Before arriving in Durham, Aaron served as Director of Georgia Tech Arts in Atlanta. He led the organization through the pandemic, creating the award-winning Skyline Series of outdoor performances in the middle of a parking lot and bringing technology-based performances and installations to campus, while leading the creation of a strategic plan for the arts at Georgia Tech. He has also worked as the Director of Programming for the Fine Arts Center at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst and was the inaugural Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow for Carolina Performing Arts as well as Director of Engagement.
A native Midwesterner, Aaron attended Butler University for his undergraduate degree and worked for several years in social services before beginning graduate school. He holds a Master’s and Doctorate in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
We recently spoke with the newest team member of Duke Arts, Director of Programming Aaron Shackelford. Aaron shares how his arts programming career started, experiences that have impacted his work, his creative practice and what led him to Duke Arts in this insightful Q&A.
aaron.shackelford@duke.edu
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